Change of subject continued a little :
1953 at 16, a 1937 Velocette 250cc two-stroke GTP, good for just under 60 mph: by 1959 (& National Service beckoning after 5 years Apprenticeship) the proud owner of a British world beating m/c industry product - a heady Velocette Venom 500.
Supposed to do 102 lying flat on the tank whilst trying to raise an eyeball to squint & see if the magic 'ton' showed on the Smiths chronometric speedo clicking away !
Jump forward 50 years and I'm back on a bike, such glorious freedom & fun & almost as good as flying - better sometimes. A 650 cc now gives an effortless 100 mph just sitting up and almost anywhere - and who built this oiltight reliable electric self starter creation with fantastic brakes ?
That's right it's Japanese - I still feel funny about that aspect after all that time & I was only a kid during the War.
mike hallam
Last edited by mikehallam; 29th Nov 2012 at 10:07.